babies

The Boss Baby: So Funny and So True!

| Tasha

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The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

When the baby arrives it is obvious that he is the boss of the household.  He makes constant demands which if not met result in a fit.  He expects lots of perks like beverages whenever he asks.  And he needs lots of attention, or meetings.  But you can only push employees so far, and when they near collapse, the boss is forced to think outside the box!  This very funny take on being a new parent and welcoming a baby into a home is perfect for expectant parents and just might give new siblings an idea of what they are in store for. 

Frazee’s tone in the text here is delightful with its business terms and matter of fact approach.  Her text plays the straight man against the humor of her illustrations.  The baby with his little striped tie and business-suit sleeper is the epitome of the grumpy baby.  Frazee has captured those sleep-deprived early days of a baby to great effect and with glorious humor.

Get this hilarious book into the hands of new parents and new siblings.  They are sure to relate to it and laugh out loud if not too sleep deprived.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Beach Lane Books.

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Baby Baby Baby!

| Tasha

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Baby Baby Baby! by Marilyn Janovitz

A board book filled with a jaunty rhythm and fun rhymes, this is a book that the littlest ones are going to love (and so will their grown ups!)  The book starts with action and movement, like clapping hands, dancing feet, and crawling away.  It then moves into preparation for bedtime with a bubbly bath, laughs, and some peek-a-boo.  Oh, and a little chasing of the cat too.  Then it slows down into hugs, sleeping and kisses.

Though the rhythm stays the same all the way through, it can be read with plenty of action and then moves gracefully into the quieter moments.  The verse is engaging and fun, matching well with the illustrations which are filled with color and pattern.  Plenty of bright colors also transition at the end to more pastels, making the quiet part that much more soothing.

A very cute board book to share with a toddler or baby story time or to have at home to enjoy again and again.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Sourcebooks.

Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy

| Tasha

Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming

One sleepy animal after another is shown with the refrain of “sleep, oh so sleepy.”  The words form a lulling rocking feel, perfect for bedtime.  Every three animals, a line is added: “Where’s my sleepy baby?”  It completes the story, drawing the child into the book.  The animals are far from barnyard livestock, instead they are anteaters, elephants, koalas, orangutans and many exotic beasts.  Fleming’s illustrations are equally soothing with their soft lines and velvety textures.  A beautiful bedtime book for every family.

As you can see from the cover, it is Fleming’s art that is the real star here.  The book is done in double-spreads with large images.  Fleming creates her images with pulp painting, a papermaking technique that lends it a very interesting style and feel.  It creates a depth of color that brings additional dimension to the illustrations. Far from flat, each color contains specks of other colors and a direct relationship to the colors near them.  It is a soft, but never muted, form of illustration that is very successful here.

Highly recommended, this drowsy book will appeal to parents and babies alike.  Appropriate for 0-2.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt.

Annie Kubler Board Books

| Tasha

Hop a Little, Jump a Little by Annie Kubler

Humpty Dumpty by Annie Kubler

Pat-a-Cake by Annie Kubler

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat by Annie Kubler

A very friendly new collection of board books from Annie Kubler, these books offer one nursery rhyme in each volume.  The child characters are appealing with their large round heads, active hands and feet, and rather jolly feel.  The children are multi-ethnic adding to the appeal of the volumes.  Kubler presents each nursery rhyme simply and successfully.  She does not adorn the verse or change it from the original, rather these are modern versions of the classics.

Recommended for libraries and families, this set would make a great new baby present to get those little ones growing up with nursery rhymes.  Appropriate for ages 0-2.

Reviewed from copies received from Child’s Play.

Born Yesterday

| Tasha

  

Born Yesterday: The Diary of a Young Journalist by James Solheim, illustrated by Simon James

This funny book is told from the perspective of a brand new baby who just happens to be a journalist. He frets about being born naked, is amazed by everything his older sister can do, and tries to reach his mobile.  He looks forward to being talented enough to go to Kindergarten like his sister, enjoys his first lick of popsicle, throws food, bites his foot.  He spends his days like most babies, but he documents it all.  That’s why he is worried when his sister reads his diary and alarmed when she laughs at it.  Perhaps he needs to find a different family to live with?

The tone of this book is what sets it apart from many other baby books.  The diary format is cleverly done and combined with the baby’s voice, it is pure fun to read.  His voice is clever, rather adult, and often concerned with the impression he is making as a baby.  The juxtaposition of this tone with a baby’s life and activities works very well and adds to the humor of the book.

James’ art is right at home here as he does full page images along with smaller pictures in the midst of the text.  His art has a friendliness and gentle humor of its own and matches the text well.  The baby is nearly irresistible as he tries new things, even as he throws food or howls about biting his own foot.

A clever perspective on babies that many different readers will enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Penguin.

Check out this video about the book with author James Solheim.  It gives a great sense of the humor of the book:

Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth!

| Tasha

Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth! by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

Sophie Peterman is a veteran big sister, and she is here to tell you the hard truth about babies.  “Babies are not sweet.  Babies are not precious.  Babies are not cute.  Babies are YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!”  Told with a broad sense of humor but lots of real truths of being an older sibling, this book is a great antidote to new baby books that look only at the sweet and cuddly parts of infants.  As Sophie will happily tell you, babies leak, they make strange noises, and they smell bad.  Even Sophie has to admit though that you can get attached to them.

The humor here really carries the book from a swallowed marble to the ransacking of an underwear drawer. This is pure child humor that elementary age kids will really enjoy from poop to farts.  Neubecker’s illustrations are done in thick lines using India ink which is then digitally colored.  The various expressions on Sophie’s face are a large part of the humor as is the constant delight of the baby. 

A very funny book on babies perfect for those older siblings who have seen it all or for that new sibling who will appreciate a humorous cautionary tale.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Board Books for Cool Babies

| Tasha

Rocker Babies Wear Jeans by Michelle Sinclair Colman, illustrations by Nathalie Dion

Part of the Urban Babies Wear Black series, I consider this one of the best of that group.  Perfect for hip parents who want to raise a little rocker, this book is filled with humor and puns.  Favorite lines are “Rocker babies shake their booties” and “Rocker babies do jam sessions.”  Both showing babies doing very normal baby things.  A winning entry in a popular series.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

 

Yum Yum, Baby Bundt by Jamie Harper

This board book opens with a charming recipe for lunch that combines 1 hungry baby, 1 washable bib, 1 highchair, toys, and then the lunch itself and all of the plates, sippy cup, etc.  The book then moves into more of a narrative story where a helpful big sister gets her younger sibling through a meal of pasta, veggies, fruit and cookies.  The story is told briefly with the humor added through the illustrations.  A recipe for a great read, this book is a gem because of the positive relationship it shows between siblings.

Reviewed from library copy.

A Bunch of Board Books!

| Tasha

I find myself with a wonderful tall stack of board books to share!  All of them are just right for babies and toddlers and their format will stand up to the abuse from children that age.

Busy Bear Cubs by John Schindel and Lisa and Mike Husar.

Filled with clear and well-composed photographs of bear cubs of all sorts, this book is a bundle of furry fun.  Each page has a photo of bears in their natural habitat, playing and acting like bears.  There is no personification, just short explanatory lines about what the cubs are doing in the picture.  Great for toddlers, this book would make a great present along with a teddy bear.

Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Carol Thompson

Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Carol Thompson

I was thrilled to find two books that show gay and lesbian parents for such a young age.  I was even happier to find that they are well-written and nicely illustrated.  Both books are about a normal day where parents play, children nap, and the world is a gentle and loving place.  The focus is on family time, being together and happy days.  Appropriate for all families, these books are sure to be happy finds for families using public libraries.

Both books have Google Previews which show the entire book.  Take a look!

Daddy, Papa, and Me Preview

Mommy, Mama and Me Preview

Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills

The charming pairing of Duck and Goose continues in this latest board book.  In this fall-themed book, Duck and Goose spot Thistle walking past with a pumpkin and decide that they want one too.  The trouble is they don’t know where to find a pumpkin. Could it be in a tree?  Under the water?  Hills characters are just as sweet, silly and adorable as in the previous books.  A real winner of a picture book for fall.

Sun by Natalie Jane Prior and Anna Pignataro

Star by Natalie Jane Prior and Anna Pignataro

A pair of poetic board books, these titles focus on morning and nighttime respectively.  Sun features a repeating format with the phrase “This is where the sun shines…” completed by different animals waking to the new morning.  Star uses the phrase “This is what the star sees…” in a similar manner.  Both books have repetition perfect for young listeners.  They are both wonderful first poem books for babies.  The illustrations by Pignataro are watercolor landscapes.  One awash with the brightness of the morning and the other deepened by evening.

1 2 3: A Child’s First Counting Book by Alison Jay.

When I first saw Jay’s 1 2 3 book in picture book form, I immediately thought that it would be an ideal picture book.  Well,I was right.  The book counts forward to ten and then backward to 1.  It is set in a magical land of fairy tales where you will see beloved characters from many tales.  The illustrations are done in a folk-art style that works very well with the subject matter.  The crackle effect of the pictures adds a great vintage feel as well.  This one is just as much for the parents as the baby.  One you will be willing to read again and again.

All from publishers except the pair of Leslea Newman books which were from the library.

What a Good Big Brother!

| Tasha

What a Good Big Brother! by Diana Wright Landolf, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.

So many new sibling books are about angst and worry.  This book doesn’t mention that at all.  Cameron loves his little baby sister, so he is eager to help stop her crying.  When his father changes Sadie’s diaper, Cameron helps by handing him wipes.  When Sadie is hungry, Cameron fetches the nursing pillow.  And when no one can get Sadie to stop crying, Cameron manages to get her settled by rubbing her tummy gently and kissing her toes.  It is a pleasure to see an older sibling not bubbling with jealousy, happily being included in the new routines, and able to solve a problem through loving contact. 

The text has a nice repetition, as Cameron wonders why Sadie is crying and then is asked to help out.  Cameron also kisses the baby’s toes often, his own personal way of relating with Sadie.  And mothers will be pleased because that is so often the safe spot for older siblings to shower with love.  The illustrations are a mix of collage and paintings that tell the story in paintings and then are reinforced by the collages.  The word kiss appears often in the background as well as other small words like nap.  On the pages where Sadie is crying, there are watery marks on the page and drops of color.  And there are also hand outlines and foot outlines as Sadie is being soothed.  Here the illustrations are a true extension of the story. 

Clever illustrations and a positive look at being an older sibling make this worth putting into every library collection.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.